Drug smuggling, death threats and child sex abuse images: UN staff members' worst crimes revealed

Drug smuggling, death threats, storing child sex abuse images and stealing secret diplomatic cables are among the crimes committed by UN members of staff in the past year.

In an extraordinary document circulated on behalf of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the results of disciplinary cases for the 12 months up to 30 June have been released.

They range from the mundane to the most serious offences, and reveal a large number of incidents where UN staff stole from, betrayed, threatened or even attacked one another.

Issued to all of the around 41,000 people counted as UN members of staff, the document reminds readers of their duty to uphold “the basic values expected of international civil servants”.

The cases, which have all personal details redacted for privacy reasons, make for interesting reading in their own right.

But they also raise very serious concerns that UN staff members can commit the most serious crimes and get away with no punishment beyond dismissal from their roles.

Among the worst cases reported in the document were four involving members of staff who used UN computers and email systems to share and store images of child sex abuse. All four were sacked, but there are no details on what further action was taken.

According to the document, one member of staff working on security for a UN flight “took, without authorization, $2,200 from the luggage of a passenger”. He or she was “separated from service” but not sacked due to “mitigating circumstances.

One member of staff was sacked for “using an official vehicle of the Organization to transport approximately 173 kilograms of marijuana”. Another staff member was censured and demoted “in connection with the sale of a substance”.

Multiple cases were recorded in the document involving violence, often against other members of staff. These included an “attack with a knife”, “assault with a pool cue”, and someone who “repeatedly threatened to kill or suggested [they] could arrange to kill the Head of Mission”.

Finally, a staff member injured his or her supervisor by “driving a tractor [at] an office in which the staff member’s supervisor was working”. The report said “long-standing workplace-related issues” were a mitigating factor in the employee avoiding the sack.

The UN has said that once it has carried out its disciplinary procedures, it is up to the member state in question to investigate further and potentially bring criminal charges.

We’ve reproduced the UN case sheet in full below.

A. Abuse of authority, harassment and discrimination

16. A staff member in a senior position harassed a subordinate, improperly favoured another staff member and created a hostile working environment.

Disposition: demotion with deferment, for a period of three years, of eligibility for promotion.

B. Theft and misappropriation

17. A staff member stole money from the wallet of another staff member. The mitigating circumstance of the staff member’s admission and apology was considered, but reduced by the fact that, having been caught in the act, the staff member had little alternative but to admit the conduct. The fact that the act targeted a close colleague and breached the heightened relationship of trust between staff members who worked closely together was considered an aggravating factor.

Disposition: dismissal.

18. A staff member, while performing security and screening functions at an airport, took, without authorization, $2,200 from the luggage of a passenger travelling on a United Nations flight. There were mitigating circumstances, including the staff member’s voluntary repayment of the money taken, and certain procedural irregularities. The fact that the staff member violated the position of trust as a security official was an aggravating circumstance.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

19. A staff member who was a warehouse assistant attempted to take, without authorization, a ream of paper and approximately 15 plastic seals belonging to the Organization. There were mitigating circumstances, including the time taken to dispose of the case.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

20. A staff member took, without authorization, a drum of petroleum product belonging to the Organization and sold it to a third party. There were mitigating circumstances, including the time taken to dispose of the case and the recovery of the drum of petroleum product.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

21. Two staff members were involved with the unauthorized removal and sale of tyres belonging to the Organization. The loss to the Organization attributable to these staff members could not be quantified.

Disposition: separations from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnities.

22. A staff member took, without authorization, a vehicle belonging to the Organization. The vehicle was recovered.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

23. A staff member took, without authorization, fuel belonging to the Organization. The fact that the staff member exercised the functions of a driver and therefore had a heightened duty of care towards the Organization’s assets that related to the staff member’s duties was considered as an aggravating factor. The specific amount of fuel taken by the staff member could not be ascertained.

Disposition: dismissal.

24. A staff member took, without authorization, fuel belonging to the Organization. Aggravating factors were present, including the staff member’s functions as a driver. The specific amount of fuel taken by the staff member could not be ascertained.

Disposition: dismissal.

25. A staff member falsified documents relating to the volume of fuel dispensed and sold fuel belonging to the Organization, without authorization. The specific amount of fuel taken by the staff member could not be ascertained.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

26. A staff member who was a warehouse assistant improperly created and used a document that purportedly authorized the staff member to move barbed wire belonging to the Organization from United Nations premises, when, in fact, no such authorization had been granted. Aggravating factors were present, including that the staff member’s functions related to managing inventory. The staff member was required to repay the Organization the value of the materials removed.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

27. A staff member improperly instructed an individual contractor who was working under the staff member’s supervision to destroy property belonging to the Organization. Mitigating circumstances were present, including the time taken to dispose of the case. Aggravating circumstances included the staff member involving and falsely implicating a subordinate in the wrongdoing. No property was removed from the Organization’s premises.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

28. A staff member improperly altered the labelling on the salary envelopes of several independent contractors and removed cash from the envelopes, all without authorization. The staff member was required to repay the Organization a sum equivalent to the moneys removed.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

29. Three staff members removed from envelopes money that was to be used to pay the wages of individual contractors. There were mitigating circumstances, including the staff members’ voluntary return of the moneys taken and the time taken to resolve the case.

Disposition: separations from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnities.

C. Misrepresentation and false certification

30. A staff member repeatedly misrepresented the educational qualifications obtained by the staff member on the personal history profiles submitted by the staff member to the Organization and falsely certified the accuracy of the information in the context of selection exercises. Mitigating circumstances were present, including long and satisfactory service with the Organization.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

31. A staff member misrepresented the staff member’s educational qualifications on the staff member’s P.11 form, falsely certified the accuracy of the information and submitted a false diploma to the Organization in the context of a selection exercise. Mitigating circumstances were present, including long and satisfactory service with the Organization.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

32. A staff member made material omissions in multiple personal history profiles concerning the staff member’s history of arrest and conviction. The staff member also failed to notify the Secretary-General that the staff member had been summoned before a court in a criminal proceeding and that the staff member had been criminally convicted. Mitigating circumstances were present, including long and satisfactory service of the staff member with the Organization.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

33. A staff member made a material omission in a personal history profile concerning a history of arrest and conviction. The staff member indicated that the staff member had never been arrested or convicted for the violation of any law despite having been convicted of theft the previous year.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

34. A staff member submitted an education grant claim and documentation that contained false information. The overpayment of $1,912.50 was recovered from the staff member.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

35. A staff member submitted multiple education grant claims and documentation that contained false information, signatures and stamps.

Disposition: dismissal.

36. A staff member submitted leave-related documentation that did not accurately reflect the staff member’s absences from a duty station. There were mitigating circumstances, including the time taken to resolve the case and the satisfactory service of the staff member in difficult duty stations.

Disposition: deferment, for a period of one year, of eligibility for consideration for salary increment, and written censure.

D. Misuse of United Nations property or assets

37. A staff member used an official vehicle of the Organization to transport approximately 173 kilograms of marijuana.

Disposition: dismissal.

38. Two staff members each drove a United Nations vehicle without a valid driver’s permit and improperly used a driver’s permit that had been issued by the Organization to a United Nations Volunteer. The fact that the staff members exercised supervisory functions as security guards was considered an aggravating factor.

Disposition: For each staff member, loss of three steps in grade, with deferment, for a period of one year, of eligibility for salary increment, and written censure, and an administrative measure consisting of the withdrawal for a period of one year of any supervisory duties.

39. A staff member who performed the functions of a supply officer enabled an individual to travel on a United Nations aircraft without proper authorization by providing false information in the documentation pertaining to the travel. There were mitigating circumstances, including the time taken to resolve the case and the staff member’s remorse.

Disposition: demotion of one grade, with deferment, for a period of one year, for eligibility for consideration for promotion, and written censure.

40. A staff member knowingly included false information in movement-related documentation prepared on behalf of a friend and approved this documentation in the staff member’s official capacity. The staff member also permitted the friend to reside at the staff member’s residence without authorization. Mitigating factors were present, including the staff member’s remorse and the difficult working conditions at the staff member’s duty station. Aggravating factors were present, including the staff member’s abuse of trust as a senior official.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

41. A staff member working in movement-related functions at a United Nations air terminal attempted to transport a chainsaw on a United Nations passenger flight on behalf of a colleague without authorization and failed to follow any of the applicable safety and screening procedures when doing so. Aggravating circumstances were present, including the staff member’s long service in movement-related functions.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

42. A staff member who had access to confidential code cables by virtue of the staff member’s functions improperly obtained confidential code cables and disseminated them to one or more unauthorized recipients. Aggravating factors were present, including the special trust and responsibility resulting from the staff member’s functions in communications.

Disposition: dismissal.

E. Misuse of United Nations information and communications technology resources

43. A staff member declared as official, to the Organization, communications made from the staff member’s official mobile telephone that were, in fact, private in nature. Recovery of the moneys owed to the Organization was initiated as an administrative measure during the investigation; such action was not contested by the staff member.

Disposition: fine of two months’ net base salary and written censure.

44. A staff member declared as official, to the Organization, a large number of communications that were, in fact, private in nature and falsified data relating to telephone charges incurred by other staff members in order to attempt to hide the staff member’s actions. Recovery of the moneys owed to the Organization was effected together with the disciplinary measure.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

45. A staff member stored pornographic material on the staff member’s United Nations computer and failed to report that another staff member had forwarded pornographic material to the staff member through the Organization’s e-mail system.

Disposition: demotion of one grade with deferment, for a period of two years, of eligibility for consideration for promotion.

46. A staff member stored pornographic material, including pornography involving a minor, on the staff member’s United Nations computer, distributed other pornographic material through the Organization’s e-mail system and failed to report that another staff member had sent the staff member inappropriate material through the Organization’s e-mail system.

Disposition: dismissal.

47. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, and stored on the staff member’s United Nations computer, pornographic material involving a minor and, on other occasions, distributed, through the Organization’s e-mail system, other pornographic material.

Disposition: dismissal.

48. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, pornographic material involving a minor and, on three other occasions, distributed other pornographic material through the Organization’s e-mail system and stored pornographic material on the staff member’s United Nations computer.

Disposition: dismissal.

49. A staff member sent, through the Organization’s e-mail system, pornographic material, including pornographic material involving a minor, and failed to report that another staff member had sent the staff member inappropriate material though the Organization’s e-mail system.

Disposition: dismissal.

F. Unauthorized outside activities

50. A staff member owned and managed an outside concern without obtaining prior authorization from the Secretary-General.

Disposition: loss of a step in grade and deferment, for one year, of eligibility for a salary increment, and written censure.

G. Assault and abusive conduct

51. A staff member used threatening language, including veiled threats, towards another staff member.

Disposition: demotion with deferment, for one year, of eligibility for consideration for promotion.

52. A staff member serving as a security guard physically assaulted and used verbally abusive language towards another staff member. There were mitigating factors, including the staff member’s personal circumstances.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

53. A staff member assaulted another staff member with a pool cue. There were mitigating factors, including that the staff member was cooperative during the investigation and made amends to the staff member who was assaulted.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

54. A staff member attempted to attack another staff member with a knife.

Disposition: dismissal.

55. A staff member attempted to physically assault another staff member and verbally abused the same staff member. There were mitigating circumstances, including the staff member’s emotional distress arising from work-related matters.

Disposition: loss of four steps in grade and written censure.

56. A staff member who was a security guard physically assaulted and threatened to kill an individual contractor.

Disposition: dismissal.

57. A staff member assaulted another staff member. There were mitigating factors, including the fact that the victim of the assault had directed abusive language towards the staff member.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

58. A staff member physically assaulted another staff member during the course of an argument concerning a work-related dispute. There were mitigating factors, including the staff member’s long and satisfactory service with the Organization.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

59. A staff member repeatedly threatened to kill or suggested that the staff member could arrange to kill the Head of Mission.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

60. A staff member drove a tractor in the direction of a prefabricated office in which the staff member’s supervisor was working, with the intent of damaging the office and injuring the staff member’s supervisor. Mitigating circumstances were present, including long-standing workplace-related issues.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

H. Inappropriate or disruptive behaviour

61. During a staff protest at a peacekeeping mission, a staff member improperly restricted the movement of pedestrians and/or vehicles in and out of the base; intimidated and/or physically assaulted one or more individuals; attacked and/or damaged a United Nations vehicle; and permitted one or more local journalists to enter the mission without authorization.

Disposition: dismissal.

62. During a staff protest at a peacekeeping mission, a staff member disarmed a military officer.

Disposition: dismissal.

63. During a staff protest at a peacekeeping mission, a staff member improperly restricted the movement of pedestrians and/or vehicles in and out of the base and intimidated a security officer, including by attempting to take the security officer’s personal property.

Disposition: dismissal.

64. During a staff protest at a peacekeeping mission, a staff member attacked and/or damaged a United Nations vehicle and damaged the property of a staff member of another United Nations entity.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

65. During a staff protest at a peacekeeping mission, a staff member intimidated a security officer.

Disposition: loss of three steps in grade and written censure.

I. Failure to honour private obligations

66. A staff member failed to honour a private legal obligation. Aggravating circumstances were present, including the length of time the obligation had been outstanding.

Disposition: deferment, for a period of one year, of eligibility for consideration for promotion, and written censure. The staff member was also instructed to report regularly on steps taken to meet the staff member’s private legal obligation.

67. A staff member failed to honour a private legal obligation. Aggravating circumstances were present, including the length of time the obligation had been outstanding.

Disposition: deferment, for a period of one year, of eligibility for consideration for promotion, and written censure. The staff member was also instructed to report regularly on steps taken to meet the staff member’s private legal obligation.

68. A staff member failed to honour a private legal obligation. Aggravating circumstances were present, including the amount of the obligation ($100,000) and the length of time it had been outstanding.

Disposition: deferment, for a period of two years, of eligibility for consideration for promotion, and written censure. The staff member was also instructed to report regularly on steps taken to meet the staff member’s private legal obligation.

J. Other

69. A staff member offered to assist one or more persons external to the Organization with securing United Nations employment in exchange for money.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and without termination indemnity.

70. A staff member accepted a benefit from a United Nations vendor in the form of assistance in a personal financial transaction and assisted the vendor in a procurement process. There were mitigating circumstances, including the staff member’s lack of training in procurement functions.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

71. A staff member violated numerous requirements regarding movement of personnel in a mission environment, including regarding curfew hours and allowing a non-United Nations person to stay overnight in United Nations accommodation, all without authorization. Aggravating factors were present, including the prior issuance of two letters of reprimand for failure to abide by the standards of conduct expected of an international civil servant.

Disposition: separation from service, with compensation in lieu of notice and with termination indemnity.

72. A staff member engaged in conduct not befitting the status of an international civil servant in connection with the sale of a substance by the staff member.

Disposition: loss of two steps in grade and written censure.

73. A staff member engaged in conduct not befitting the status of an international civil servant in connection with a selection exercise.

Disposition: fine of one month’s net base salary and written censure.

74. A staff member carried a private firearm aboard a United Nations shuttle bus and into United Nations offices. The fact that the staff member secured the firearm in a location that was normally used to secure the firearms of visitors to the mission premises operated as a mitigating factor.

Disposition: written censure.

75. A staff member entered into an agreement with a company that entitled the staff member to receive a commission in connection with a commercial project intended to benefit staff. There were mitigating factors, including that the project did not proceed and the involvement of staff union issues.

Disposition: written censure.